GMAC’s Eight Types of MBA Aspirants
The journey to getting an MBA is as diverse as those who embark upon it. The Graduate Management Admission Council’s (GMAC) recent white paper, “Meet the Segments,” categorizes eight types of MBA aspirants, each with unique motivations, goals, and aspirations.
When GMAC last conducted this research in 2016, they focused on the motivations of graduates who had pursued specific degree programs and schools. This time, the survey broadened to include younger prospective students who hadn’t yet solidified their graduate management education plans.
Information gleaned in this paper is based on a survey of 10,000 prospective MBA students in 21 countries. Explore these eight types of MBA aspirants and see which archetype best describes you.
Curious about your chances of getting into a top B-school? Contact us to talk strategy with a free 15-minute advising session with an SBC Principal Consultant.
Social Impact Champions
Motivation: Contributing Positively to Society
Social impact champions want to make a difference in the world. They care deeply about social issues like poverty, inequality, and the environment. These individuals often seek MBA programs with strong corporate social responsibility (CSR) elements. They see the MBA as a way to increase their positive impact on society.
Case in Point: Alex, a community organizer, wants to improve educational opportunities in underserved areas. He seeks an MBA to gain project management and fundraising skills, aiming to launch a non-profit organization that builds and supports schools in low-income neighborhoods.
Are you wondering whether you can reach your career goals faster with a social impact MBA? Stacy Blackman offers a Social Impact Accelerator package designed just for purpose-driven applicants.
Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Motivation: Owning Their Own Business
Aspiring entrepreneurs dream of starting and running their own businesses. They seek MBA programs with entrepreneurship tracks, incubators, and access to venture capital. These programs give them the skills and connections to turn their ideas into successful businesses.
Case in Point: Samantha has developed a sustainable fashion brand focused on eco-friendly materials. She wants an MBA to learn about business management, marketing, and securing investments to expand her brand globally.
Listen to B-Schooled Podcast Episode #204: Stacy Blackman on Entrepreneurship
Family-Focused Achievers
Motivation: Supporting Their Family and Making Them Proud
Family-focused achievers want to improve their family’s lives and make them proud. They often come from backgrounds where higher education is critical to a better future. These aspirants look for MBA programs that promise good job placements and strong alumni networks.
Case in Point: Maya, the first in her family to attend college, sees an MBA as a way to get a better-paying job in finance. This will allow her to support her siblings and parents.
Charting Your Destiny: Advice for First-Generation MBA Applicants
Wealth Builders
Motivation: Earning More Money
Wealth builders aim to increase their earnings. They view an MBA as an investment leading to higher salaries and better job opportunities. These aspirants pursue programs known for high post-MBA salaries and courses in lucrative fields like investment banking and consulting.
Case in Point: David is a mid-level manager in a tech company. He wants an MBA to accelerate his career and increase his earning potential.
Career Advancers
Motivation: Gaining Career Options and Technical Skills
Career advancers want to move up the corporate ladder by gaining advanced skills. They are often professionals looking to pivot within their industry or take on leadership roles. These aspirants seek MBA programs with specialized tracks and industry certifications.
Case in Point: Sophia is an engineer who wants to move into management. She believes an MBA will give her the strategic thinking and leadership skills needed to advance her career.
Career Agnostics
Motivation: Figuring Out Their Ideal Career
Career agnostics are exploring their career options. They see an MBA as a way to discover their professional interests. They value programs with a broad curriculum and robust career counseling services.
Case in Point: Rachel has worked in various roles within her company’s operations department but hasn’t found a niche she loves. She hopes an MBA will expose her to different fields like finance, marketing, and consulting, helping her identify a career path that excites and fulfills her.
Global Careerists
Motivation: Studying and Working Abroad
Global careerists want international experience. They seek MBA programs with strong global reputations, international campuses, and study abroad opportunities. They find programs that emphasize global business practices attractive.
Case in Point: Carlos works in sales for a local company in Brazil and dreams of working in Europe. He wants an MBA from a school with a strong global network and exchange programs, hoping to gain international business skills and build connections that will help him secure a job in the European market.
Lifelong Learners
Motivation: Personal Growth and Development Through Digital Means
Lifelong learners crave knowledge and self-improvement. They prefer flexible MBA programs that offer online or part-time options. These aspirants seek personal growth while balancing learning with their responsibilities.
Case in Point: James is a software developer interested in acquiring business skills. He prefers a well-ranked online MBA program that allows him to continue working while learning.
Eight Types of MBA Apsirants: All Roads Lead to B-School
The different motivations and goals of MBA aspirants highlight the need for various MBA programs. Knowing which category they fit into can help aspirants choose the right program.
Whether they aim for social impact, entrepreneurship, family support, wealth, career advancement, exploration, global experience, or lifelong learning, each type of MBA aspirant brings unique perspectives and ambitions to the table. This diversity enriches the MBA journey for everyone involved.
***
Stacy Blackman Consulting offers multiple services to meet your MBA application needs, from our All-In Partnership and Interview Prep to hourly help with essay editing, resume review, and much more! Contact us today for a free 15-minute advising session to talk strategy with a Principal SBC consultant.
Here’s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on our SBC team.
Ashley
Ashley is a former MBA Admissions Board Member for Harvard Business School (HBS), where she interviewed and evaluated thousands of business school applicants for over a six year tenure. Ashley holds an MBA from HBS. During her HBS years, Ashley was the Sports Editor for the Harbus and a member of the B-School Blades Ice Hockey Team. After HBS, she worked in Marketing at the Gillette Company on Male and Female shaving ...
×Kerry
Kerry is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS). During her 5+ year tenure at HBS, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a wide range of backgrounds across the globe. She also led marketing and outreach efforts focused on increasing diversity and inclusion, ran the Summer Venture in Management Program (SVMP), and launched the 2+2 Program during her time in Admissions. Kerry holds a B.A. from Bates College and ...
×Pauline
A former associate director of admissions at Harvard Business School, Pauline served on the HBS MBA Admissions Board full-time for four years. She evaluated and interviewed HBS applicants, both on-campus and globally. Pauline's career has included sales and marketing management roles with Coca-Cola, Gillette, Procter & Gamble, and IBM. For over 10 years, Pauline has expertly guided MBA applicants, and her clients h ...
×Geri
Geri is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS). In her 7 year tenure in HBS Admissions, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a diverse set of academic, geographic, and employment backgrounds. Geri also traveled globally representing the school at outreach events in order to raise awareness for women and international students. In additio ...
×Laura
Laura comes from the MBA Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS) and is an HBS MBA alumnus. In her HBS Admissions role, she evaluated and interviewed hundreds of business school candidates, including internationals, women, military and other applicant pools, for five years. Prior to her time as a student at HBS, Laura began her career in advertising and marketing in Chicago at Leo Burnett where she worked on th ...
×Andrea
Andrea served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at Harvard Business School (HBS) for over five years. In this role, she provided strategic direction for student yield-management activities and also served as a full member of the admissions committee. In 2007, Andrea launched the new 2+2 Program at Harvard Business School – a program targeted at college junior applicants to Harvard Business School. Andrea has also served as a Career Coach for Harvard Business School for both cu ...
×Jennifer
Jennifer served as Admissions Officer at the Stanford (GSB) for five years. She holds an MBA from Stanford (GSB) and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Jennifer has over 15 years experience in guiding applicants through the increasingly competitive admissions process into top MBA programs. Having read thousands and thousands of essays and applications while at Stanford (GSB) Admiss ...
×Erin K.
Erin served in key roles in MBA Admissions--as Director at Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and Assistant Director at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB). Erin served on the admissions committee at each school and has read thousands of applications in her career. At Haas, she served for seven years in roles that encompassed evaluation, outreach, and diversity and inclusion. During her tenure in Admissions at GSB, she was responsible for candidate evaluation, applicant outreach, ...
×Susie
Susie comes from the Admissions Office of the Stanford Graduate School of Business where she reviewed and evaluated hundreds of prospective students’ applications. She holds an MBA from Stanford’s GSB and a BA from Stanford in Economics. Prior to advising MBA applicants, Susie held a variety of roles over a 15-year period in capital markets, finance, and real estate, including as partner in one of the nation’s most innovative finance and real estate investment organizations. In that r ...
×Dione
Dione holds an MBA degree from Stanford Business School (GSB) and a BA degree from Stanford University, where she double majored in Economics and Communication with concentrations in journalism and sociology. Dione has served as an Admissions reader and member of the Minority Admissions Advisory Committee at Stanford. Dione is an accomplished and respected advocate and thought leader on education and diversity. She is ...
×Anthony
Anthony served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he dedicated over 10 years of expertise. During his time as a Wharton Admissions Officer, he read and reviewed thousands of applications and helped bring in a class of 800+ students a year. Anthony has traveled both domestically and internationally to recruit a ...
×Meghan
Meghan served as the Associate Director of Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA’s Lauder Institute, a joint degree program combining the Wharton MBA with an MA in International Studies. In her role on the Wharton MBA admissions committee, Meghan advised domestic and international applicants; conducted interviews and information sessions domestically and overseas in Asia, Central and South America, and Europe; and evaluated applicants for admission to the program. Meghan also managed ...
×Amy
Amy comes from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where she was Associate Director. Amy devoted 12 years at the Wharton School, working closely with MBA students and supporting the admissions team. During her tenure at Wharton, Amy served as a trusted adviser to prospective applicants as well as admitted and matriculated students. She conducted admissions chats with applicants early in the admissions ...
×Ally
Ally brings six years of admissions experience to the SBC team, most recently as an Assistant Director of Admission for the full-time MBA program at Columbia Business School (CBS). During her time at Columbia, Ally was responsible for reviewing applications, planning recruitment events, and interviewing candidates for both the full-time MBA program and the Executive MBA program. She traveled both internationally and dome ...
×Erin B.
Erin has over seven years of experience working across major institutions, including University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Business School, and NYU's Stern School of Business. At Columbia Business School, Erin was an Assistant Director of Admissions where she evaluated applications for both the full time and executive MBA programs, sat on the admissions and merit scholarship committees and advised applicants on which program might be the best fit for them based on their work experience and pro ...
×Emma
Emma comes from the MBA Admissions Office at Columbia Business School (CBS), where she was Associate Director. Emma conducted dozens of interviews each cycle for the MBA and EMBA programs, as well as coordinating the alumni ambassador interview program. She read and evaluated hundreds of applications each cycle, delivered information sessions to audiences across the globe, and advised countless waitlisted applicants. ×
